I don't blame you. It's hard. It's harder still keeping it going, especially when un-3D-related stuff demands your attention. And Daz is just not the easiest program to do this in. I wish I wish I wish that there was a way to save a spot render out at a particular resolution. Sigh. One day (after this image is finished) they'll do it! :-)

I don't blame you. It's hard. It's harder still keeping it going, especially when un-3D-related stuff demands your attention. And Daz is just not the easiest program to do this in. I wish I wish I wish that there was a way to save a spot render out at a particular resolution. Sigh. One day (after this image is finished) they'll do it! :-)

Thanks alanscape, that's similar to what I'm doing now, but because of the size of the render, it still takes over 24 hours to render each scene, as it still renders the 'frame' as well. Unfortunately, cancelling the render before it's finished also works against me, as the only way I have to save the unfinished render is to screen shot, and most of the time the screen shots are too fuzzy or my screen is too small. For some reason, my computer won't save a half-finished render in the temp folder, but I'll have another look and see if it will. Maybe it's changed since the last re-install? Hmmm, will check. :-)

Aw, that's too bad; I was hoping to be of more help here. Probably we're dealing with different software versions or scene setups or both. (This was DS3A, 3DLight render, & a separate render window.) I'll transfer my writeup to my own thread. Hope a workaround shows up for you--- it's a nifty multi scene!

Thanks Alan. I'm predominately using DS3A, with the occasional DS4 scene. The lights come with the set, with a few spot lights thrown in when needed. I'd love to see your thread though, do you have a link? :-)

I am puzzled that your copy of DS3A doesn't go for the blockout trick like my copy of DS3A does. Only thing I can figure is maybe you're doing something like using the Reality plugin to pass the render job out to LuxRender--- which would decidedly not be fooled by such a feeble stratagem, and would proceed to calculate every object in the render, hidden or not! I'm just using the built-in render engine that came with DS3A, and it's much easier to (ahem) pull the wool over its eyes...

If that guess is not on the mark, and if you'd care to pursue the elusive spot render gimmick, and if time permits, you're welcome to come hash it out over in the lab. 8^j*

Just a quick update - I have found out that I'm going to be very full on for the next two months, using Daz almost non-stop for Uni stuff. If I can wrangle any time to work on this, I will. This won't be forgotten, but it will be slowed down for a while.

I've been able to use another, more powerful machine* to render on - so I've been doing larger version renders of the library. If I were to print it out, it'd be 2.5meters long and 1.17meters tall.

Because I've been wanting to do this scene for the last two years, I had to test out the new render machine on this one first. Completely unrelated to The Wizards Library, but if you'd like to have a look at the first view of the Countess' Courtyard, head over to the Facebook link in my signature. For those who dislike FB, it'll be up on the website next week.

As far as Library news goes, the base is the only one rendered at a massive size, currently, the figures up the back are rendering as I type. A few tiny changes, but will post when all the current figures are together. The benefit of having two machines going at once? I can create more figures to put into the scene while it's rendering on the other one! :-D

*The more powerful machine being Hubby's laptop. I only get to render with it when he's not gaming... or when his internet 'mysteriously' disconnects... What? No, I didn't flick the switch on purpose! :coolgrin:

Because I waited so long to get this one rendered, I'm thinking of getting it printed out on canvass and hanging it above my desk. George currently holds pride of place, but I think he needs to take a walk to his local library...

Shaaelia tell me something to read. In exchange I will recommend Schizmatrix Plus (get the Plus and not the other one. The Plus includes all the short stories he wrote before the novel about this universe) by Bruce Sterling, a book I've read some three years ago and is still turning around in my mind. In case you know it already (or not (: ), another two that had big impact on me are The World According to Garp by John Irving (many other good ones from him) and The Armaggedon Rag by George R.R. Martin (with his Thrones recent success dont need references, but he has some great other books too).

Your work is amazing, and also your generosity giving us all your great creations.

Hey Fatbear :-) My favorite reads are anything by Matthew Reilly, but if you're starting off, read Ice Station first. His books are like Indiana Jones on speed. Brilliant and fast paced, you don't want to put them down until the end.

Anne McCaffery is great for SciFi/Fantasy.

Andy McNab is good for the former solider turned civvy stories - great books, made better that it's coming from a former solider who knows and went through the transition from military back to civilian.

There is another great SciFi author on my book shelf. He writes really thick, involved books that take a while to get into, with lots of characters whose story-lines converge at the end and make it well worth the read... and I can't check his name because our mammoth Christmas Tree is in front of the bookcase. But if it sounds like your kind of read, I can find out after the tree comes down.

On The Wizards Library front, it is progressing slowly, and I have more time with the laptop now, it's just a matter of squeezing in the scenes to render between assignments. Hoping to post the next update before the end of the year (which seems far, far too close!)

Oh, so it's well and truly after the new year, but there is good news! I have a new, faster machine on which to render that is all mine! The old one died on Christmas eve. Today I (finally) get to install Daz and get to rendering. I have up to figure 40 ready and set to render, so it will be interesting to see how long it takes me to get through a render now. The next three figures should be posted in a few days.

It may have taken George since November, but he finally made it to the Library.